Six Tips for Effective Video Conferencing
I do a lot of videoconferencing across the state with all kinds of folks. Some are more and some are less savvy. The following are the six main things I see people forget about, and if paid attention to will allow you to be a truly effective videoconferencer.
1) Look People in The Eye. When you talk over the camera, the dynamic is different. Make sure to take the time and energy to look people in the eye. This does not mean looking them in the eye, but looking the camera in its eye. The more you become aware of how you look/behave to your participants the more effective you'll be.
2) Mute and Un-Mute Successfully. If you're confused how to tell if your microphone is muted, then figure out how to tell definitievely. Generally you should keep your mic muted at all times, unless you're talking. When you don't mute, people can hear you shuffle your papers, shift in your chair, clear your throat, mumble to the person next to you, etc. Practice muting and unmuting so you A) come off like you know what you're doing, and B) don't transmit sounds you don't want people to hear.
3) Be a Good Producer. Your remote control lets you move and zoom the camera. Pay attention to the image you're sending your recipients, and tune it for optimal effect. This means, when someone is talking, zoom the camera in on them. Or when the group is discussing, zoom it out so the far-side can see everyone. The closer you zoom to a person's face, the clearer it will be on the other side, and the richer the interaction. If you want to get really fancy you can setup presets for your camera. Presets allow you to save the zoom/pan of the camera to one of its numbered buttons. That way, you can associate a button for different views or people in the room, and when they start talking all you have to do is push the right number and the camera zooms to that preset.
4) Understand the Lag. With most of our districts with satellite Internet, there can be a 2-4 second lag between the time you say something and the time they hear it. You can test the lag time by observing when they respond to your questions. When you get a sense for the lag, you can tune your delivery appropriately. Mostly you'll want to speak in concise sentences with clear endings. Try not to run on, and try not to stop talking unless you're done talking. Make it clear when your statement is complete and you're ready for someone to respond. Using hand motions helps to signify someone else it's their time to speak. If you do get into the "no you go, no you go" tangle, then simply give a chuckle and smile, a pause, and then proceed with figuring out whose turn it is to talk.
5) Force People to Interact. People often look at VTC on the TV as if they're watching TV. They naturally fall into the one-directional mind-set. Make sure to encourage interaction wherever possible. The most basic form of this is asking people simple questions. Even stuff like: "Dan, does that make sense?".
6) Make Sure They Can Hear You. For them to feel like you're talking to them, you'll want to lean forward and look in the camera's eye. But you also when them to hear your voice clearly. You can always ask "how do I sound?". But you should also make sure you understand where the microphone in your room is, and project your voice to it. Some rooms have ambient microphones on the ceiling that will pickup your voice so long as it's loud enough to reverberate in the room. Other rooms will have microphones on the table. Speak to the microphone, so that you're audible. Or get closer to the microphone so you can speak in a normal voice without yelling.
Good luck and happy videoconferencing!
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